The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to medical imaging systems, and more particularly to diagnostic imaging systems which combines Computed Tomography (CT) with a Nuclear Medicine (NM) Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) system.
In CT imaging, a patient is placed in a gantry. The gantry can comprise a stationary frame for supporting a rotary member. The rotary member includes a central opening, or bore, large enough to receive a patient extending along the scanning axis. The rotary member is rotated about a patient during a scanning or imaging procedure. An x-ray tube can be positioned on the rotary member diametrically across the central opening from an array of x-ray detectors. As the rotary member rotates, the x-ray tube projects a beam of energy, or x-rays, along a scan plane, through a patient, and to the detector array. By rotating the x-ray source about the scanning axis and relative to the patient, x-rays are projected through a patient from many different directions. An image of the scanned portion of a patient can be constructed from data provided by the detector array using a computer.
In NM imaging, such as SPECT or PET imaging, radiopharmaceuticals are administered internally to a patient. Detectors (e.g., gamma cameras), typically installed on a gantry, capture the radiation emitted by the radiopharmaceuticals and this information is used, by a computer, to form images. The NM images primarily show physiological function of, for example, the patient or a portion of the patient being imaged.
In a NM system, it can be advantageous to collect CT information for purposes of attenuation correction, body shape planning, scouting specific organs, and other known benefits of CT data. It is needed to provide such a system that is low-cost and efficient.